Strife among Senate about teaching evaluations

Bodybuilders compete at Emens

Twenty three competitors stood beneath the lights of Emen's Auditorium Thursday night, completely shaven and doused in bronze paint and glistening body oil. Their arms, legs and abs were strained and flexed, revealing muscles that took months of training to build.

SLIDESHOW: Mr. and Ms. Ball State University body building competition

FOOTBALL: Analysts vary on predictions of where Ball State players will go in the NFL Draft

As the 2009 NFL Draft approaches, fans are attempting to predict when the top players from college football will be selected. Scout.com Draft analyst Chris Steuber said he thinks four former Ball State University football players - offensive tackle Robert Brewster, quarterback Nate Davis, tight end Darius Hill and punter Chris Miller - will be selected in the late rounds of this weekend's Draft.

OUR VIEW: Constructive criticism

Students rule the university. Without them, the university would cease to exist. Students all learn differently and professors all teach differently - thus the creation of professor evaluations. The evaluations offer a common ground for students to provide open, honest and anonymous feedback to their professors without the fear of it affecting their grade.

SOFTBALL: Cards look to get on fast track to weekend wins

After dropping all three mid-week games this week, the Ball State University softball team hopes to bounce back in its last full weekend of Mid-American Conference play. Ball State travels to the University of Akron for a doubleheader today and then to Ohio University Saturday and Sunday.

High school J-Day focuses on the changing industry

About 1,500 high school journalism students will be walking down the streets of Ball State University from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. today. Ball State is holding its 54th Journalism Day and about 100 high schools from Indiana and surrounding states will be attending.

WOMEN'S GOLF: Cardinals enter MAC Tournament ranked third out of 12 teams

The Ball State University women's golf team is heading into its final tournament of the year, the Mid-American Conference Championship. The tournament will be held in Nashport, Ohio, and will start today and end Sunday. The format will be 18 holes today and Saturday with a 36-hole day to finish things up.

WOMEN'S TENNIS: Cardinals can't close out 3-0 lead, get knocked out of MAC Tournament

Through the frustration and disappointment, coach Kathy Bull found a positive note in how upset her team was Thursday. The Ball State University women's tennis team lost 4-3 to Northern Illinois University in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, ending its season.

BASEBALL: Cards look to run to victory against Broncos

As soon as one of the first two hitters in the Ball State University baseball team's lineup reach first base this weekend against Western Michigan University, it will likely only be a matter of time before they take off for second base. Junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker and senior second baseman Nate Fields have 50 stolen bases combined, enough to rank second among Mid-American Conference teams.

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL: No. 15 Loyola eliminates IPFW in MIVA quarterfinals

The chance of the two Indiana schools meeting in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tournament championship match is no longer a reality. No. 15 Loyola University swept IPFW 30-26, 30-26, 30-28 on Friday in Chicago to eliminate the Mastodons in the conference tournament quarterfinals.

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Three Cardinals earn All-MIVA honors

Three members of the Ball State University men's volleyball team received all-conference honors Thursday for their performances in the regular season. Outside attacker Todd Chamberlain and middle attacker J.D. Gasparovic were named to the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association First Team All-Conference.

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Ball State still wondering who will be on court for Quincy

Men's volleyball coach Joel Walton said he does not know which Quincy University players his team will face in their conference tournament quarterfinals match at 7:30 p.m. in Worthen Arena.

Core curriculum implementation is still in the works

The new university core curriculum, which will go into effect in Fall 2010, presents new standards as it strives to promote better critical thinking. These new standards include a three-tier system and WISER+ designations. The first two tiers- which include social science, physical science, humanities and fine arts classes- will promote knowledge in four basic subject areas.

Ball State joins eight-state exchange program to lower out-of-state tuition

Some incoming out-of-state students will see their tuition sliced by more than a third because of a student exchange program Ball State University will enter in the fall. Colleges in eight midwest states- Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin- are taking part in the Midwest Student Exchange Program to promote ethnic and geographic diversity.

MEN'S TENNIS: Ball State beats Buffalo, advances to play top seed Western Michigan

Ball State University's men's tennis team will get another shot at the conference champions. Ball State advanced to face No. 1 seed Western Michigan University at 10 a.m. today in the Mid-American Conference Tournament thanks to a 4-0 victory against the University at Buffalo.

BEWILDERED SOCIETY: University made the right call with not texting about bomb threat

You did not need a text message. Following Friday's bomb scare/threat, student outcry has again rallied for the use of Ball State University's emergency text alert system. Akin to the Fall Semester off-campus shooting, concerned students say they deserved a text message updating them about the situation.

FOOTBALL: Analysts vary on predictions of where Ball State players will go in the NFL Draft

As the 2009 NFL Draft approaches, fans are attempting to predict when the top players from college football will be selected. Scout.com Draft analyst Chris Steuber said he thinks four former Ball State University football players - offensive tackle Robert Brewster, quarterback Nate Davis, tight end Darius Hill and punter Chris Miller - will be selected in the late rounds of this weekend's Draft.

MS walk at Worthen to benefit research

Fundraiser walks benefiting multiple sclerosis research will take place Saturday throughout Indiana. Worthen Arena was chosen as a location for the annual event because it is a convenient location for residents of the East Central Indiana, Dorothea Bragg, community development manager for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, said.

FROM THE HOOD: Committee limits faculty evaluations

A group of eight Ball State University professors have essentially taken away students' ability to effectively evaluate all faculty. This group, the Teaching Evaluation Committee, is a subdivision of Faculty Council within University Senate, and in November made a decision that rendered a year's worth of work by many students completely irrelevant.